Kokopelli Chasm Lite SUP Assessment

I wakened, and there was a light-weight dew on my board. The close by lake was glass. The solar hadn’t risen, and there was no wind, sound, or stirring of people coming down the path. You could possibly hear a pine needle drop. I used to be completely out within the components, 10 miles from the closest trailhead, with no cell service, alone — with a small gear pack, headlamp, and my paddleboard.

Let me clarify.

The Chasm Lite packs down smaller than most of my sleeping luggage. After I first opened the Chasm Lite SUP bag and equipment, I used to be confused about the place the precise SUP was. However beneath the spectacularly-small folding pump and an annoying quantity of plastic wrapping, I discovered it neatly tucked away like a Swiss roll.

After seeing the Kokopelli Chasm Lite SUP debut at OR, we couldn’t wait to get our fingers (and ft) on one. After just a few months, we acquired one from Kokopelli’s first Kickstarter cargo to place to the pack-paddleboarding take a look at. Kokopelli got down to make the lightest, most tightly-packed SUP and SUP bundle in the marketplace, difficult the place you may go and aiming to rival all present touring SUPs.

In brief: I paddled over 30 miles on this board within the first few weeks of testing. However most notable will not be what number of miles put down in testing (that’s extra essential when you find yourself testing mountaineering boots) however completely different utilization situations that may actually require the lightest and most packable SUP potential. I carried it round, portaged with it, hiked in with it, and backpacked with it in a single day on a few events. So as to correctly take a look at, the Chasm Lite and I went off-grid.

I got down to reply all the usual assessment questions and extra as they associated to the Chasm Lite’s efficiency on my native backcountry lakes and the paths resulting in them. I pushed this SUP to its limits, and its efficiency deserves an A.

It’s a small, super-packable powerhouse of an inflatable SUP.

Kokopelli Chasm Lite Paddleboard Assessment

Alpine Lake Tour With the Kokopelli Chasm Lite

I needed to push the bounds of packing and portaging with the Chasm Lite so far as I may muster. So one weekend in October, I set out for a 2-night, 3-day paddle circuit. I selected a cluster of alpine lakes on the outskirts of Rocky Mountain Nationwide Park, deep sufficient that it’d require an ultralight SUP and equipment (paddle gear, attire, layers) in addition to an ultralight in a single day bivvy setup and plenty of heat layers. Additionally, a range and meals.

Climbing in to SUP an off-the-beaten-path lake for a day is one factor and might be carried out on a few different light-weight SUPs in the marketplace. However pack-paddleboarding from one lake to the subsequent and carrying paddle, PFD, and backcountry tenting gear is a complete different beast.

Full SUP Equipment That Packs to Half the Dimension

As marketed, this SUP actually does pack to about half the scale. Its board design (with a minimal part of EVA deck pad) permits it to fold in half and pack very small, effectively under the highest of the welded backpack straps proven above. This leaves room within the dry bag for the pump, equipment, and some other gear you may match.

The one factor I wasn’t in a position to match inside for my in a single day testing journey was my PFD (which, by nature, can’t actually be packable except you go for the handbook belt variety). My PFD was simple to lash to the highest strap of the SUP pack as soon as closed. For those who introduced alongside just a few different Voile or ratcheting straps (which I like to recommend), you could possibly safe different gentle and small objects as effectively. (Word: I additionally didn’t carry a full tent.)

One in all my factors of suggestions for the model is the facet pockets. If you’re mountaineering brief distances and choose to make use of the pack to hold gear whereas carrying the Chasm Lite inflated in hand, that’s one factor. However in case you are packing in with the SUP within the backpack together with the opposite necessities, the pockets turn out to be fairly unusable. There’s not a ton of stretch, and I want the mesh was a burlier materials. The bag itself is a brilliant burly woven waterproof nylon, and total design. However I’d undoubtedly change the pockets to accommodate wider objects (Nalgenes) and provides higher entry to them whereas on path.

The Chasm Lite’s Consolation Whereas Carrying

I’ve put almost as many miles mountaineering and portaging with the Kokopelli Chasm as I’ve paddling on it within the water, which says lots. If one thing claims to be probably the most packable and moveable, I’m going to give attention to that in testing as a lot as potential.

The yoke, padded backpack straps, adjustability, and sternum strap on this pack are all purposeful and cozy. The place of the backpack straps on the drybag that accommodates the SUP is sweet as effectively. Even with no hipbelt, I used to be in a position to carry the entire bundle with the load evenly distributed and pretty comfortably. I by no means had ache factors on my shoulders whereas carrying the pack. Nonetheless, I did must repack/redistribute the load of the objects inside on a 4-5 mile hike a few instances.

If you’re selecting to pack in with the board, pump, and paddle solely, this SUP can slot in different conventional backpacking packs for higher consolation, relying in your goal. We examined it with a few completely different manufacturers we personal (REI, Deuter, and so forth.) and located it matches greatest in packs 60L or extra if you wish to go away applicable room for different gear. Additionally, the 4-piece carbon paddle is depraved gentle, however it nonetheless takes a while and wiggling to get the paddle blade finish to suit nested in both the drybag or one other pack.

The outside drybag is a high-denier woven material and was in a position to face up to brushes with sharp tree branches, resting on rocks, and different put on alongside the path. As soon as on the water, although, I did needless to say Kokopelli sacrificed some sturdiness of the fabric in an effort to obtain the lightest weight potential. This isn’t a SUP you’ll wish to bump and drag over shallow, rocky waters. That being mentioned, in all of the lakes I paddled in, the board’s sturdiness held up: the inflation, the rails, and the underside.

Paddling on the Chasm Lite

Having the lightest something is spectacular for a model. However in terms of the quickly-growing market of inflatable paddleboards, that is particularly so. Final September, Kokopelli put itself on the market, claiming to have the lightest, most packable, however nonetheless good high quality SUP. One which packs all the way down to the scale of a tiny sleeping bag, one which simply carries in your again, and one which performs nice on the water.

Properly, Kokopelli’s invention lastly arrived, and as soon as we examined it over a number of months, we decided it delivers. The board is nothing in need of superb craft and ingenuity. There are some cons, however none that offset the achievements this SUP makes in dimension to weight to efficiency ratio. The Chasm Lite SUP lived as much as its claims of being ultra-light, ultra-packable, in a position to deal with the load restrict, and naturally, a heck of quite a lot of enjoyable.

The Chasm Lite is certainly not your entry-level paddleboard. The split-deck space is small, with few welded lash factors or equipment, which is form of the purpose. For those who do plan to paddle with drybags full of drugs, you’ll possible want to separate up the load and produce some gear straps. The Chasm is designed to be gentle and quick and requires some paddling talent for stability and your strokes. As soon as on board the Chasm for a day, I used to be comfy figuring out its limits and prospects.

The ten-foot-long board has a 290L quantity and a weight capability of 250 kilos. (That is on the shorter facet in terms of inflatable SUPs.) However it weighs below 13 kilos. Extra impressively, the total equipment weighs below 20 kilos. Thoughts you, most inflatable SUPs (simply the board) in the marketplace now weigh greater than that.

We examined with grownup riders of 125, 150, and 200 kilos, plus and minus gear. The board is gentle and nimble however can undoubtedly deal with the total weight restrict. Right here’s how the Chasm Lite fared by way of stability, stability, monitoring, total weight, and maneuverability:

The soundness wasn’t 10 out of 10 with weight to the max (however perhaps 8/10) at max psi.

Total, the monitoring was good as might be with a single fin as a substitute of a twin fin setup; I’d give it 7/10. Excessive wind and wake situations — and I usually encounter wind at high-altitude lakes — could also be this board’s solely weak level, given it’s so gentle.

In calm situations, I’d give this board’s maneuverability 9/10. In winds over 20 mph, I’d charge the board’s maneuverability 6/10. Even with further weight on board, you’ll have a tougher time paddling this featherweight vessel.

Clearly, the most important professionals of this board are the light-weight and packability — garnering 10/10 rankings for positive.

Building and high quality of each the board and paddle elements get a 9/10.

Conclusion

The Kokopelli Chasm Lite has modified the usual for what a very light-weight and nonetheless succesful touring paddleboard might be. This board is gentle and packable sufficient to take almost anyplace, particularly in case your SUP journeys embrace portages. Organizing your gear within the included drybag and on the deck of the board will take some planning. The board is barely 10-foot — it’s a must to journey gentle. However in any other case, the Kokopelli Chasm Lite does dwell as much as its supposed ultralight, packable use.

For extra skilled paddlers, the Kokopelli Chasm Lite goes to be a implausible SUP choice. For newbie paddlers know that it’s tougher to study to paddle and stability on a SUP with a narrower width, like this one.

The Chasm Lite, at an incredible value of $999, is greatest for individuals who need probably the most SUP within the smallest bundle. For those who get pleasure from mountaineering 10 miles in, paddleboarding a pristine alpine lake, then organising camp for some time, the Kokopelli is the one SUP that may make that occur simply. And comfortably, that’s.

After our fall and spring assessments, I couldn’t be extra happy with how the Chasm Lite carried out. I sit up for pack-paddleboarding on it many extra instances this 12 months.